Seasonal, healthy and delicious vegetarian recipes, with the occasional cake thrown in for good measure!

Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Cake

I thought I would start off 2015 with a celebratory cake. This was the first birthday cake I made for my fiancée, for the first time in 6 years we were able to spend his birthday together so when I asked him what cake he would like and he replied pistachio and chocolate I had to invent something I had never made before.

I have been enjoying making genoise sponge as I prefer the texture to a victoria sponge so used that as the inspiration to start the pistachio cake. I also used Oil and Vinegar’s Pistachio Cream to use as the filling as well as the chocolate ganache. Jamie loved the filling but I think it could have been improved by folding the pistachio cream through whipped cream to make it a lighter filling as there is a lot of chocolate ganache in this cake. The recipe I have included is the original and not the lighter version but depending on your preference either would work brilliantly.

It makes a great celebration cake and is a great change from regular birthday cakes. The ganache topping also helps to keep it moist for a few days (if it lasts that long!).

Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

100g Pistachios

130g self raising flour

130g butter, melted

2 eggs

200g caster sugar

100ml milk

200g dark chocolate

200ml double cream

1/2 jar pistachio cream

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Line a deep 18cm/8in round baking tin with baking parchment

Using a food processor or coffee grinder, grind the pistachios into a fine powder. Mix with the self raising flour until evenly mixed.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes until it is pale and has doubled in size. Carefully whisk in one third of the flour and then one third of the milk. Repeat twice more until all of the flour and milk is incorporated. Slowly whisk in the melted butter.

Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and bake in the oven for an hour.

Once the cake has finished cooking, leave to cool. While it is cooling make the chocolate ganache by heating the double cream until it reaches boiling point. Take off the heat and add the chocolate, mix until the chocolate has melted.

To assemble the cake, cut the cake in half. On the bottom half spread the pistachio cream thickly over it, then a thin layer of chocolate ganache. Place the top half on and cover the entire cake with the remaining chocolate ganache.

To decorate chop a handful of pistachios finely and sprinkle around the edge of the top of the cake. Place a few whole pistachios in the centre.